SKZ supports with comprehensive services around digitalization in the plastics industry
For small and medium-sized companies in the plastics industry in particular, there are many high hurdles to overcome for digitization. The German Plastics Center SKZ offers support here, for example, in setting up digital infrastructure, analyzing data in the company or selecting the right technology provider.
Digitization of an injection molding machine (Photo: SKZ)
The benefits of digitization can thus be efficiently exploited by companies with the help of SKZ
Digitization can be more than just a buzzword. It offers many advantages for plastics processing. For example, data can be used to make informed decisions, control quality and make direct adjustments. Consequently, scarce skilled workers can be more efficient in an optimized environment. However, especially for smaller medium-sized companies, the hurdles are often high and numerous and it is difficult to evaluate and implement digitization measures in terms of benefits. The German Plastics Center SKZ offers support here.
What could be more obvious than to ask an artificial intelligence (AI) about the blessings of digitization? Accordingly, if you interview Chat GPT about the benefits of digitized production, you get the following summary: "Overall, the digitization of production in plastics processing offers significant advantages in terms of efficiency, quality, flexibility, resource savings and data-driven decision-making. It enables companies to become more competitive, offer innovative solutions and meet market demands."
Since digitization as a buzzword has been around not just since discussions on Industry 4.0, the question arises as to why the industry is not yet using more integrated, digital technologies in production. AI spits out a long list of challenges for the digitization of plastics processors in this regard. These challenges are probably all too well known to those involved.
For this reason, the hint of a potential solution should be given here: SKZ's Digitization Group offers research activities as well as a comprehensive range of services for the industry. The four different groups of offerings each look at one of the pain points and offer comprehensive advice and assistance. A first option is support regarding the establishment of digital infrastructure in processing. Here, the SKZ experts cover topics such as interfaces, data selection and data utilization. Data-related services can also be used. From data analysis in operations to the selection of suitable tools and the training of an AI, comprehensive support can be called upon here. Some partners have already been able to make the leap from simply collecting data to using it to optimize production. The selection of the right technology provider is often a decisive criterion for success. SKZ experts can already draw on a wealth of experience here and provide case-specific advice. But even outside the plastics industry, SKZ provides support and, on the other hand, helps technology providers to enter the market through its large SKZ network and knowledge of requirements on the part of plastics processors.
"In fact, we advise our network members and long-term partners more frequently in these cases - so far mostly on specific request. We would now like to make this offer more widely available to the outside world, as we have found that the obstacles are often similar and we are convinced that we can help extremely efficiently here," emphasizes Christoph Kugler, head of the Digitization Group.
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